J&K govt drafts its Right to Education bill

The Jammu and Kashmir government has drafted its right to education bill encompassing features of the central law along with state-specific provisions.

This was stated by Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand, who also heads the school education department, during a discussion in the Legislative Assembly last evening.

"The education department has drafted J&K Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Bill and a cabinet memo for the same has been prepared. Right to education would thus become a fundamental right," Chand said.

"The bill has gone beyond the scope of the central law on free education and state specific provisions have been incorporated while drafting it," he added.

Giving details on initiatives taken by the government for adult literacy, Chand said the education department has launched 'Saakshar Bharat Mission' in 20 districts and as many as 2,005 education centres for adults have been identified.

He said the department is also going to open 100 additional mobile primary schools for nomadic population.

As many as 1,228 seasonal centres have been opened in which 30,183 nomadic children have been enrolled. According to TALASH survey, 59,061 children had been identified as those not going to school in the state. Of this, 10,000 have been enrolled in different schools, Chand said.

The minister also informed the House that Rs 22.95 crore has been released on account of free textbooks covering 7,53,280 children at elementary level.

The Deputy Chief Minister said all necessary impetus would be given to promote Urdu and other regional languages upto middle school level.

Meanwhile, to strengthen the education department, Chand said 18,500 promotions have been made in the year 2013-14.

"As many as 18,500 promotions in education department have been made in the year 2013-14, which includes regularisation of Rehbar-e-Taleems as teachers," he said.

The department has referred over 12,000 vacancies to various recruitment agencies for selection of suitable unemployed youths on fast track basis, he added.